In one respect, the NIU men’s tennis team was 1-1-1 in its weekend trip to Indiana.

The Huskies started their trek Saturday morning with a 7-1 Mid-Continent Converence victory over Valparaiso University and were on track for a second league win over the University of Akron when the Zips deserted the match prior to the completion of singles play.

NIU had lost one contest and won four other singles matches when NIU’s Andy Schoeberlein claimed the first set of the No. 5 matchup by a 6-4 count and UA’s Greg Llewellyin won the second set 7-5.

Akron coach Dave Bard declined the opportunity to play the third set on a nearby lighted court or to even play a tiebreaker for the hitrd set. Although no match is listed in the Mid-Continent Conference Spring Sports Guide, he indicated that the Zips had a Sunday home meet and a long drive.

NIU, chaperoned by NIU travel coordinator Hank Clark during coach Chuck Merzbacher’s absence, drove onto Muncie, Indiana, for a Sunday challenge against Ball State University – ranked 22nd in the nation. The Cardinals lived up to their billing in a 9-0 shutout that snapped an NIU winning streak which reached four straight after the Valpo win.